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It’s funny how as soon as I got back from Thanksgiving break, my fall decorations seemed out of place. The holidays are here and it’s time for Christmas decorations! Holiday decorating can be pricey if you go all-out, covering every surface in glittery, frosty, cinnamon-smelling decor. I focused on a few areas that pack the most punch- my dining table, mantle, and of-course some lights in the windows. I bought several of these decorations at extremely reduced prices after Christmas last year. I also got all my wrapping paper, bows, and holiday cards on sale after Christmas. My mom always does this and it’s definitely a good habit; you can save so much money! I purchased a few more items at Target recently for great prices. I still haven’t gotten my tree; I’ll add photos of that if I ever get one. Here are a few photos of this year’s decorations.

You can save money by assembling inexpensive items creatively instead of buying pre-made centerpieces. I started with a table runner, then I made a centerpiece out of pinecones and a cheap cinnamon candle. I actually bought these pinecones, but you can use berries, bits of evergreen, pinecones, and/or twigs right out of your backyard for a beautiful centerpiece. Last year I spray-painted twigs silver and arranged them in a tall jar and it cost about $10, versus the $25+ centerpiece I saw at Peir 1 that looked almost identical! (I usually get ideas from stores such as Peir 1 and Target and then make cheaper versions myself :)) The silver plate holders were about $1 each at Target, and I’m sure I will use these for multiple occasions. The napkins and ornament add a pop of color. Super easy and cheap.

Here are a few more details that I have around the apartment that are also cheap and easy. I love holiday frames; they are great for adding color to end tables or your mantle. And I love having even more photos of my family around for the holidays. I also bought these glass jars from Target and filled them with ornaments. I have seen similar photos of different sizes and shapes of jars arranged as centerpieces and they were gorgeous. I bought a bunch of ornaments after Christmas last year for next-to-nothing. Just a couple of ideas from my apartment. Happy decorating and happy holidays!

It’s time to start thinking about Thanksgiving dinner. I’ll be going home to spend the holiday weekend with my family and enjoy my mama’s home cookin’ 🙂 For those of you having guests over for dinner, I wanted to write a post about Thanksgiving centerpieces. I have to say that ‘tablescaping’ is a passion of mine, though I don’t get to do it often. It’s always fun to get creative and think outside the vase of flowers for an attention-grabbing centerpiece. And it doesn’t have to break the bank! You can dress up any centerpiece with inexpensive candles, or better yet, arrange items you already have in a new way!

I have a pretty simple fall centerpiece on my table right now. I found a pumpkin basket and fall flowers on sale at Michael’s Arts and Crafts. (And Michael’s always has coupons in the Sunday paper!) The orange pumpkin candles are from Wal-mart and smell fantastic! The rustic table runner is from Target, though you could use inexpensive burlap fabric purchased from your local fabric store. The whole thing cost about $20, with most of that going to the table runner.

Here are some other creative table setting ideas I found on Pinterest that are unique and can be recreated inexpensively.

I love the idea of dressing up these candles with the popcorn kernels- and it’s so cheap! Tall candle holders always make a nice statement and these popcorn kernels give great height. In this case, the fall leaves are tied around the candle with burlap string, though I would suggest tying them around the candle holder itself so they don’t catch on fire, especially if you use real leaves.

I love this idea! It’s clean and classic. The stark contrast of the orange mini pumpkins and gourds against the black iron lanterns is beautiful. You can find the cute minis at your local grocery store for cheap around thanksgiving. Shop around for the lanterns; they can be expensive at some locations but you can usually also find these for a reasonable price. And they can be re-used for multiple occasions, or to dress up and outdoor patio.

This is a great fall centerpiece that can carry over into Thanksgiving. It’s a simple assortment of pumpkins, pine-cones, berries, and candles. The initial on the pumpkin is an added touch that makes a great statement, and I love the black on white. This seemed to be the year for painting pumpkins! I saw white pumpkins with the old-school cameos painted in black that were gorgeous, as well as pumpkins painted with team colors for football season. The next photo of painted pumpkins is my favorite! This is the cutest idea. I am totally using this next year! Not only is it unique as well as easy and inexpensive to make, it reminds me of why we celebrate thanksgiving. Give thanks for all your blessings and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Do you have any creative ideas for a Thanksgiving centerpiece? Please share! Look for my next post which will have my favorite Thanksgiving recipes… including Kentucky Derby pie! Delicious.

I am new to Pinterest, (I know! I’m way behind the curve) but I have to say, I love it. I actually joined because my little sister found so many creative ideas for her wedding this past September and she continues to show me all these cute decorating ideas. She actually made a fall wreath using some ideas from Pinterest so I thought I would document her craftiness and post it here! I love the idea of a more modern wreath as opposed to the traditional flower wreath. This wreath uses vines and felt rosettes. I also love the big burlap letter in the middle. It adds a great focal point to the wreath. My sister got her vines from the vineyard where she got married (so sweet) but you can find a pre-made wreath like this at your local craft store. Or, if you are really resourceful, you can find them in your backyard and secure them with a little hot glue and floral wire! The rosettes are actually quite easy to make. You cut a circle out of felt, then cut the felt circle in a spiral. Wind the felt tightly and glue the edge and the bottom of the rosette with hot glue to secure. The key is to scallop the edges (make them look wavy) so you get that appearance of a bunch of petals. To make rosettes with a center of a different color, cut a small circle of felt for the center, wind and secure that. Then cut another circle out of a different color felt and wind around the small rosette.

You can purchase a pre-cut letter at your local craft store, or stencil one on foam core and cut out with an x-acto knife or box cutter. You can paint the letter, cover it in rosettes, or cover it in fabric. My sister used burlap to give it a rustic look. She also hung the wreath using the burlap and added a little extra around the wreath. Love it! Great job sis 🙂

Here are a few more photos of wreaths I love from Pinterest. These all have a modern twist and make a bold statement… and I love the use of different materials. Click on the image to go to the original site to learn how to make these.

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Holiday Decorations

It’s funny how as soon as I got back from Thanksgiving break, my fall decorations seemed out of place. The holidays are here and it’s time for Christmas decorations! Holiday decorating can be pricey if you go all-out, covering every surface in glittery, frosty, cinnamon-smelling decor. I focused on a few areas that pack the […]

It’s time to start thinking about Thanksgiving dinner. I’ll be going home to spend the holiday weekend with my family and enjoy my mama’s home cookin’ 🙂 For those of you having guests over for dinner, I wanted to write a post about Thanksgiving centerpieces. I have to say that ‘tablescaping’ is a passion of […]

I am new to Pinterest, (I know! I’m way behind the curve) but I have to say, I love it. I actually joined because my little sister found so many creative ideas for her wedding this past September and she continues to show me all these cute decorating ideas. She actually made a fall wreath […]

Fall Recipes

My co-worker Jenna is a fantastic cook, and she always brings goodies to the office. I work for a cable advertising company.. so Jenna tries out recipes from cable food shows and blogs about them on our company blog! (Check out our blog at http://www.viamediablog.com and Click on “What’s Cooking on Cable with Jenna” for […]